Towel cabinet



Aug. 13, 1929. F. ,6. STEINER TOWEL CABINET Filed Oct. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l [rm e72 Z402" FEANKGJTE/NE/f 19 29. F. G. STEINER 1,724,229

TOWEL CABINET Filed Oct. 3. 1927 a Sheets-Sheet 2' A7- TORNE Yo Aug. 13', 1929. F. cs. STEINER 1,724,229

TOWEL CABINET Filed Oct. 3, 1927' 5 sheets-sheet 5 [nmnior Few/r GJTE/NER ATTORNEYG' Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

rnann e; STEINER, F cnrcaeo, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To STEINER saLns oomran r, or SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, a CORPORATION or UTAH.

TowE CABINET.

Application filed October 3, 1927.

My invention relates to a towel cabinet wherein a web of towel is placed with provision for delivery of a clean portion thereof to the user, with means for winding up or a withdrawing within the cabinet the soiled portion of the web as fast as the clean section is drawn out for use.

The object of my present invention is to improve a cabinet of this type shown and described in my application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial Number 94,807, filed March th, 1926, and also the invention set forth in my pending appl1ca-.

tion for Letters Patent of the United States 5 Serial Number 167 ,256 filed February 10th,

A further object is to simplify and reduce the cost of manufacture of a cabinet of this type and perfect the means whereby the soiled towel can'be easily and quickly removed when the clean supply is exhausted and the cabinet loaded or filled with a clean Web and made ready for use.

A further object is to simplify and im- 2 prove and make more positive the timing device or the means whereby the feed or deliveryof the clean towel from the cabinet is controlled.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed descrip tion. The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations all as herein described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

lhi the accomypanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through a towel cabinet embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the pivoted or movable portion of the cabinet in its normal position in full lines and in its outwardly swung or loading position in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional View showing the normal position of the parts of the I timing mechanism when the cabinet is ready so for use 5 Serial No. 223,696.

Figure 5 is a similar view showing the position assumed by the parts when the user has manipulated the time or control device and has begun the delivery of the towel;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a sectional 77 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a front view of a portion of the cabinet showing the control mechanism and means for positively operating it through the movement of oneof the rolls;

Figure 9 is a view taken on a line at right angles substantially to the view of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a sectional view on the line 10-1Q of Figure 9; and

Figure 11 is a sectional view on the line 11-11 of Figure 9.

In the drawings 2 represents the side walls of the cabinet; 8, the back thereof; 4, a top, and 5 the door of the cabinet that is adapted to swing open to disclose the interior thereof. The bottom of the cabinet, except for a cross plate 6 is open, a passage 7 being provided between this plate and the front door through which the clean web of towel depends and a gap 8 being provided between the plate 6 and the rear wall through which the soiled web is stretched upwardly to the winding roll within the cabinet. An inner section for the cabinet forming the holder is provided comprising side plates 9 pivotally connected with the side walls of the cabinet at 10 so that this section or holder may swing outwardly on its pivots when the door is open to the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. Feed rolls l1 and 12 are mounted in the plates 9 preferably on the same level, one in front of the other, and having a driving connection 13 between sprockets 14 for simultaneous synchronous movement of the rolls. The surfaces of these rolls are roughened by suitable means preferably by fastening sheets of sand paper thereto and one roll has a ratchet and pawl 95 device 15 which prevents backward movement of these rolls. A curved plate 16 is interposed between the plates 9 at the bottom and forms a support for a" clean towel supply 17 which lies loosely on the plate and i s 100 view on the line adapted to be turned thereon to unwind the web for the delivery of the clean section. Fromthis supply the clean towel web is stretched upwardly into contact with the forward portion ot-the roll 11 and is then carried around what I prefer to designate as a pinch roll 18 that is mounted in slots 19 1n the plates 9 and is adapted to rest by gravity upon the roll 11 and press the web of clean towel against the surface of the roll. The upper ends of .the slots 19 are notched as at 20 so that in filling the cabinet the user can raise the pinch roll and let it rest in these notches during the operation of threading the towel over the pinch roll and around under the towel supply to the soiled towel winding roll. The rear portions of the plates 9 have slots 21 adapted to receive the winding roll 22, these slots being so arranged that the winding roll will contact with the feed roll 12 and the roughened surface of this feed roll contacting with the web of towel on the Winding roll will, when the feed roll is revolved, revolve the winding roll also and wind up the soiled towel thereon. The web of clean towel after being carried down through the gap 7 is formed in a loop'below the cabinet and the attendant having adjusted the pivoted section in the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2 will thread the loose end of the web up through the opening 8 to the winding roll and to insure tension on this web I prefer to provide a wall 23 over which the Web slides and a projection 24 U-shaped substantially in cross-section and composed preferably of sheet metal and presenting a rounded surface for contact with the towel web, this projection being secured by suitable means such as the ears 25 to the side walls 2 on each side of the cabinet. Normally, theplates 9 forming the towel holder are locked within the cabinet by means ofa spring'stop device 26 having a pin 27 adapted to snap into holes 28 in one of the plates 9. In Figure 3 this is shown in position for locking the holder within the cabinet but when the pin 27 is pressed outwardly to disengage it from the outer hole, the holder may be swung forwardly on its pivots to the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2 when the pin 27 will snap into the rear hole 28 and lock the holder in its tilted loading position. The roll 11 is provided at one end with a head 29 and this head has an orifice 30. xtending transversely of the roll. this orifice a bolt 31 is mounted and free to slide lengthwise within the orifice, being limited in its movement by a pin 32 mounted in the wall of the orifice and projecting into an annular groove 33 provided near the middle portion of the bolt. When the roll is in the position indicated in Figure 5, the

bolt will dro by gravity so that one end will project eyond the peripheral surface Wit in" lution. A bracket 34 is secured to the wall of the holder and provided with a slot 35 and when the feed roll is completing its revolution the projecting end of the bolt will engage the wall 36 at the upper end of the slot and thereby further movement orrevolution of the feed roll will be prevented. The bracket has a guideway 37 and a plate 38 is adapted to slide vertically in said guideway and the wall of the guideway opposite the slot 35 is provided with an opening 39 that is opened and closed alternately with the vertical movement of the slide 38. Below the slide, I provide a dashpot 40 adapted to contain a suitable noncompressible fluid such as oil. The dashpot has a head 41 at its upper end, a plunger 42, and a stem 43 that is connected at 44 to the slide 38. The plunger has a group of ports 45 extending therethrough around a central port 46 and a plate 47 is slidabl mounted on pins 48 on the underside of tie plunger and is adapted to close the ports 45 and has a port 49 to register with the port 46. This port 46 communicates with a transverse opening 50 in the stem of the plunger adjacent to the port 46 and a sleeve 51 has a threaded connection with the plunger rod 43 and is adapted to slide up and down on said rod and open or close the opening 50 and thereby permit or prevent the flow of the fluid therethrough on the downward stroke of the plunger. Thus the speed of descent of the plunger may be easily and quickly regulated. The head 29 is provided with a cam 52 secured thereto as shown in Figure 9 and this cam has a shoulder 53 adapted to engage a lug 54 which projects outwardly from the slide 38 so that when the feed roll is revolved the shoulder 53 will :11 ways engage the lug 54 and raise the slide to a point where it will close the openin 39 and prevent the operation of the loc ing bolt. The lug 54 is adapted to move vertically within a slot 55 and passes out of con-. tact with the shoulder on the cam as it revolves and if preferred the dashpot device may be detached from this slide and when this is done the slide will drop by gravity to its lower position when the cam moves out of engagement with the lug 54 near the end of the revolution of the roll to be raised a second time to close theopening 39 upon the tilt hooked pointed end 58 that is adapted to be projected through the opening 3t) to engage and release the bolt 31. A flat spring 59 18 mounted within a recess 60 in the inner face ot the door ot the cabinet and a cap 61, cupshaped substantiall in form, is mountedon this spring and ms its end projecting through an opening 62 in the door and forming a push button device by means of which the bar 56 may be operated to disengage the locking bolt and allow the feed roll to be revolved.

V The upper end of the slide 38 has a beveled surface 63 in position to contact with the beveled surface of the end 58 of the bar 56 and push thebar backwardly out of the opening 39 and allow the slide to move up between the pointed end 58 'ahd the feed roll and ett'ectually prevent a second or repeated operation of the bar as shown clearly in Figure 5 ot the drawing,

The slide when disconnected from the dashpot will be positively moved by the-ca1n to a position in front of the bolt releasing bar and will prevent operation of the bar during a portion of the revolution ot the roll and it the bar should happen to be in ll'S, projected position when the slide is raised,

the beveled surtace of the slide engaging the corresponding surface on the end of the bar will push it outwardly and the slide passing between the bar and the bolt will prevent inward movement of thebar until the slide is released upon the completion of a portion of the revolution of the roll and cam. the slide is connectedto the plunger rod of the dashpot, the downward movement of the slide can be conveniently regulated so that several seconds may elapse after the oompletion of revolution of the roll before the slide is allowed to move downwardly out of the path of the bolt operating bar. Thus the person in charge of the cabinet can, by the simple adjustment or the dashpot, regulate the time ot movement of the slide and discourage anyone maliciously or mischievously inclined from standing in front of the cabinet and operating the bolt releasing bar repeatedly and delivering more sections of clean towel than he has need for or can conveniently use.

To hold the pinch roll in its operative position, it prefer to provide an arm 6st pivoted at 65 to the side wall of the holder and normally adapted to overhang the axis of the pinch roll and prevent premature upward movement'ot the pinch roll while the cabinet is in use. Whenever desired, this arm may be swung to one side as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2 and allow the lifting ot' the pinch roll to its raised nonworking position.

Tn loading the cabinet the holder will be released by the movement of the locking devices 26 and 27 and swung out to the position When indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2 and locked in this position. The attendant may then place the supply of clean towel in the bottom of the holder. The end of the clean web will then be stretched upwardly into contact with the feed roll 11 and over the pinch roll 18 and thence downwardly through the gap 7 to form a loop of suitable length below the cabinet. The end of the web is then passed upwardly through a gap 8 in the rear of the holder over the wall 23 and in contact with the projection 24, these devices having the function of smoothing and straightening the wrinkles or folds in the-web and applying a certain degree of tension thereto so that the web will be properly wound on the winding roll. The holder will then be swung back into the cabinet, the door closed and the cabinet is ready for use. The user approaching the cabinet will press in the cap 61 and through the movement of the bar 56 disengage the locking bolt 31 so that pull upon the towel will revolve the teed rollsfdeliver a predetermined length ot clean web and wind up a corresponding length of soiled web on the winding roll.

As will appear from the foregoing description the pinch roll, when the inner section of the cabinet isswung to its loading position, will be placed in the depressions or notches 20 of the side plates, the arms 64 swinging to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 to allow the pinch roll to be raised and seated in the depressions 20.

VVh-en the towel has been properly stretched within the cabinet with the clean loop dea pending below the casing as shown in Figure 1 the attendant will swing the inner section back to its normal position within the cabinet and then close the door of the cabinet, and when the door. is closed it will contact with the pinch roll and dislodge it from the depression 20 so that it will drop by gravity down upon the feed roll 11 beneath in so doing the web of towel will be squeezed or caught between the pinch roll and the feed roll 11 as shown plainly in Figure 1, and the arms 64 will swing back to their normal full line position over the journals of the pinch roll and prevent it from becoming prematurely raised until such time as the attendant opens the door and swings the inner section ot the cabinet forward to its loading position. Thus it is not necessary to rely on the memory of the attendant to put the pinch roll back to its normal or working position as it will be automatically returned to such position when the attendant swings the inner section back into the cabinet and closes the door.

ll claim as my invention:

1. In a towel cabinet, a roll to engage a web of towel, a locking bolt for normally holding said roll looked, a stop in the path of said bolt, a bar adapted to be operated till by a user of the towel to engage and move' i v operated by a user of the towel to disengage said bolt from said stop, a slide adapted to s be moved to a position between said bolt and bar, means actuated by said roll to move said slide into the path of said bar, and prevent release of said bolt, said slide being .held by said means in such position during a portion of the revolution of said roll.

3. In a towel cabinet, a roll to engage a web of towel, a locking bolt carried by said roll and havin a movement transversely thereof, a stop in the path of the projected end of said bolt, a guide having an opening opposite said bolt, a slide movable in said gulde, a bar mounted adjacent to said guide and adapted to be operated by a user of the towel and projected through the opening in said guide to engage and move said bolt to its release position, means actuated by said roll to move said slide into the path of said bar, said slide being held by said means in such position during a portion of the revolution of said roll.

4. In a towel cabinet, a roll' to engage a web of towel, a locking bolt carried by said roll for transverse movement therein, a stop mounted in the ath of the projected end of said bolt, a slide aving a lug thereon, means mounted near said slide and adapted to be actuated by the towel user for moving said bolt to its release position, a cam operatively connected with said roll to engage said lug and move said slide into the path of said bolt moving means, said lug being adapted to ride on said cam and hold said-slide in the path of said bolt moving means until said roll has completed a portion of its revolution.

5. In a towel cabinet, a feed roll over which a web of towel may be stretched-for delivery to the user, a locking bolt carried by said roll and adapted 'to be projected outside the periphery thereof, a stop in the path of said bolt, a vertically movable slide having a beveled end, a bar mounted adjacent said slide and adapted to be operated by the user of the towel to move said bolt to its release position, said bar having a beveled portion-in the path of said slide whereby said bar will be forced outwardly when said slide is raised, and means connected with said roll to engage and raise said slideinto the path of saidabar during the revolution of said roll, sai means being adapted to hold said slide in its raised osition until the roll completes a portion of its revolution.

6. In a towel cabinet, a feed roll for delivering a web of clean towel and a locking bolt carried by said roll and having a transverse movement therein, a stop adapted to engage the projected end of said bolt, a pivoted bar having means actuated by the towel user to engage said bar with said bolt and move it to its release position, a slide, and a cam device associated with said roll and having means for moving said slide into the path of said bar when said bolt has been moved to its release position, and a dash-pot having a. plunger and rod connected with said slide and adapted to prevent its return to its normal position until a predetermined period has elapsed following the operation of said slide moving means.

7. In a towel cabinet, a feed roll for delivering a web of clean towel, a locking bolt carried by said roll and having a reciprocating movement, a stop adapted to engage the projected end of said bolt, a vertically arranged guide having an opening therein, a bar pivoted near said guide and having an end adapted to be projected through the opening in said guide by the towel user to engage and move said bolt to its release position, a slide movable in said guide, means operated through the revolution of said roll to engage and raise said slide into the path of said bar, and a dash-pot having a plunger and rod connected with said slide for holding it in its raised position for a predetermined period whereby a second operation of said bar and the release of said bolt is prevented until said period has elapsed.

8. A towel cabinet comprising a casing, delivery and take up feed rolls mounted in said casing and having adrivin connection between them, a door for the rout of the casing, said casing having slots in its side walls above said delivery feed roll, the upper ends of said slots having notches therein forming seats adjacent said door, a pinch roll adapted to move in said slots and over which a web of clean towel may be stretched from a towel supply, said pinch roll being adapted when a pull is exerted on the towel web to press said web against the surface of said feed roll, the seats of said slots being adapted to receive said pinch roll when it is raised to a non-working position in filling the cabinet, and said door being adapted in closing to engagesaid pinch roll and dislodge it from said seats and allow it to automatically drop to its working position.

9. A towel cabinet comprising a casing, a feed roll mounted in bearings in said casing, a pinch roll between. which and said feed roll a towel web ma be stretched from adapted to engage the spindle of said pinch 10 a source of supply, an drawn over said roll and normally hold it in the lower porpinch roll to depend therefrom, said casing tion of said guides. having guides to receive said pinch roll, the In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 5 pull of the user on the towel web drawing my hand this 26th day of September, 1927.

said pinch roll downwardly in said uides against said feed roll, "and a pivote arm FRANK G. STEINER. 

